Stethoscope and Superbugs

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Specializes in Urology, ENT.

I work on a geriatric psych floor. I was off for a few days, and when I came back, one of the rooms was quarantined because one of our patients had acinetobacter. We didn't know she had the bug, and I didn't find out until after she was gone from the unit, and I had assessed her like any other patient with my stethoscope.

So how do I clean my stethoscope? I've been wiping it down with the cancer causing wipes at work (okay I've been told they cause cancer), but is there another way to really clean it? I read on the Littman website you just wipe it down. Does anyone know the ratio of bleach to water that would be appropriate?

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1:9, for a final concentration of 0.5% (since regular OTC bleach is 5%).

In Europe they are going to keeping stethoscopes in the rooms and not carrying them all over the place. Cuts down on transmission when no one carries fomites around.

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Specializes in Urology, ENT.
1:9, for a final concentration of 0.5% (since regular OTC bleach is 5%).

In Europe they are going to keeping stethoscopes in the rooms and not carrying them all over the place. Cuts down on transmission when no one carries fomites around.

Thank you. I'll be cleaning my stethoscope now :)

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
(okay I've been told they cause cancer)

I've been told the same thing about ours. The way I figure it though....we wipe stretchers, tables, chairs, etc. with those things. I'm hoping it is "safe" to use the "CA wipes" and then just allow it to thoroughly dry before picking the scope back up/putting it in my ears.

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Specializes in Urology, ENT.
I've been told the same thing about ours. The way I figure it though....we wipe stretchers, tables, chairs, etc. with those things. I'm hoping it is "safe" to use the "CA wipes" and then just allow it to thoroughly dry before picking the scope back up/putting it in my ears.

I've wondered the same thing...so I'll wait about a minute and hope for the best, haha.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

When I did my OB clinical, that hospital had stethoscopes on each baby-bed, and you ONLY used the baby's assigned steth in that room.

I did a med-surg clinical in that same hospital, and each patient had their own BP cuff (the disposable kind). You hooked it up to the machine when taking vitals, then unhooked it and left it attached to the bedrail for the next time. And if the patient went to another unit for tests/procedures, the cuff went with them as well. At discharge, the cuff was tossed in the trash.

Then I did clinicals at another hospital that REUSES the disposable BP cuffs! :eek: When the patient is discharged, they wipe the cuff down with a "cancer-wipe" and put it back on the shelf to be used again. :no: I can't believe that their Risk Management department doesn't have a hissy fit...

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.
When I did my OB clinical, that hospital had stethoscopes on each baby-bed, and you ONLY used the baby's assigned steth in that room.

I did a med-surg clinical in that same hospital, and each patient had their own BP cuff (the disposable kind). You hooked it up to the machine when taking vitals, then unhooked it and left it attached to the bedrail for the next time. And if the patient went to another unit for tests/procedures, the cuff went with them as well. At discharge, the cuff was tossed in the trash.

Then I did clinicals at another hospital that REUSES the disposable BP cuffs! :eek: When the patient is discharged, they wipe the cuff down with a "cancer-wipe" and put it back on the shelf to be used again. :no: I can't believe that their Risk Management department doesn't have a hissy fit...

Our BP cuffs are used over and over again..

And yeah, I've heard those wipes cause cancer. You would think I would start wearing gloves when using them but I still don't. Oops, I wonder what kind of cancer I will get.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

GAWK! Scary stuff.

No answers, but I do have a question. If stethoscopes are 'assigned' to a room to avoid transmission between patients - how are the earpieces cleaned between nurses/Clinicians? Does everyone carry their own earpieces? I have never allowed anyone to use my 'scope because I think that the swapping earwax thing is just icky.

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Our BP cuffs are used over and over again..

And yeah, I've heard those wipes cause cancer. You would think I would start wearing gloves when using them but I still don't. Oops, I wonder what kind of cancer I will get.

Yeah, well, what doesn't cause cancer these days? Between cell phones, microwaves and nutrasweet, I'd say we're pretty much doomed already.

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I used those wipes for about a month.. Even after I'd let my stethoscope dry it would give me a rash on my neck.. Now I use Lysol wipes.

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Specializes in Urology, ENT.
GAWK! Scary stuff.

No answers, but I do have a question. If stethoscopes are 'assigned' to a room to avoid transmission between patients - how are the earpieces cleaned between nurses/Clinicians? Does everyone carry their own earpieces? I have never allowed anyone to use my 'scope because I think that the swapping earwax thing is just icky.

I used alcohol swabs/chloroprep, whatever. I have no idea if it makes a huge difference -_-;

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Specializes in Oncology.

Yeah, well, what doesn't cause cancer these days? Between cell phones, microwaves and nutrasweet, I'd say we're pretty much doomed already.

So true.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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